Biographical And Historical Memoirs of Pulaski, Jefferson, Lonoke, Faulkner, Grant, Saline, Perry, Garland And Hot Spring Counties, Arkansas
Leola Parker
Mrs. Leola Parker, age 72, of Blytheville, died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis.
Mrs. Parker was born Sept. 6, 1930, in Coldwater, Miss., the daughter of Ike Brown and Connie Logan Brown. She worked as a janitor.
Mrs. Parker is survived by a son, Melvin Henderson of Hampton; four daughters, Dezzie McKeever of Blytheville, Deloris Rooks, Sandra Lynch and Brenda Gray all of Forrest City; two sisters, Ilene Starens of Memphis and Ethel Johnson of Coldwater, Miss.; 26 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Visitation services for Mrs. Parker will be held on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2002, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the West End M. B. Church in Blytheville. Funeral services will be held after visitation at the church at 11 a.m. with Rev. Andrew Mitchell officiating. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Blytheville. The Wilson Funeral Home of Blytheville is in charge of all arrangements.
Charles Skinner
Mr. Charles Skinner, age 44, of Forrest City, died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Forrest City.
Mr. Skinner was born Oct. 27, 1958, in Alabama, the son of Elgin Skinner and Nancy Skinner. He is survived by his step-father, James Alexander of Forrest City; a sister, Debbie Bray of Danville, Va.; and a brother, David Skinner of California.
Funeral services for Mr. Skinner will be held graveside on Friday, Dec. 6, 2002, at Forrest Park Cemetery at 10 a.m. with Rev. Clay Hughes officiating. Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Mary McElyea
Mrs. Mary McElyea, age 66, of Florida, and formerly of Forrest City, died Monday, Dec. 23, 2002.
Mrs. McElyea, born May 23, 1936, in Festina, Iowa, is survived by her husband of 44 years, Jerry McElyea; a daughter, Christine Magargee of McKinney, Texas; two sons, Daniel McElyea and Steven McElyea, both of Houston, Texas and four grandchildren.
A funeral mass for Mrs. McElyea will be held on Friday, Jan. 24, 2003 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lady Lake, Fla., with Father Jerry Shovelton and Deacon John Sullivan officiating. Burial will follow at the National Cemetery near Bushnell, Fla.
The family requests that a donation in the name of Mary McElyea be made to: Hospice of Lake and Sumter Counties, 12300 Lane Park Rd., Tavares, Fla., 32778-9960, in lieu of flowers.
Carrie Williams White
Mrs. Carrie Williams White, age 84, of Madison, died Saturday, Dec. 28, 2002, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis.
Mrs. White was a cook and is survived by four daughters, Lorene Sanders of Chicago, Ill., Ida Linsey Cowins of Madison, Geraldine Jones of Attadena, Calif., and Annie Clark of Memphis; three sons, William White of Madison, Charles White of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Tommie Lee White Jr. of Vicksburg, Miss.; 32 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Visitation for Mrs. White will be held on Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at Madison Light M. B. Church from 2 to 5 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2003, at Madison Light M. B. Church at 1 p.m. with Rev. J. McKegon officiating. Burial will follow in Madison Cemetery under the direction of J.E. Kennedy Funeral Home.
Donna Barnett
Mrs. Donna Barnett, age 58, of Forrest City and formerly of Fleming, Ga., died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002, at her home in Forrest City.
Mrs. Barnett was born June 14, 1944, in Forrest City, the daughter of Donald Halbert and Doris Whittenton Halbert.
Mrs. Barnett is survived by two daughters, Suanne Hamblin of Forrest City and Renee Dailey of Fleming, Ga.; her mother of Forrest City; one brother, Mike Halbert of Wynne; a sister, Mary Ellen Brown of Forrest City and seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Lisa Kay Ambrose, in 1981.
Visitation services for Mrs. Barnett will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2002 from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Chapel of Stevens Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Thursday, Dec. 5, 2002, at 2 p.m. at Stevens Funeral Home with burial following in Forrest Park Cemetery.
Henry Gatling Gilliam
Mr. Henry Gatling Gilliam, age 89, of El Dorado, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, in North Little Rock.
Mr. Gilliam was born June 14, 1912, in Forrest City, and was the son of the late James Mullen Gilliam and Louise Gatling. He was the founder and president of Gilliam Brothers Concrete Company in El Dorado and Little Rock for 30 years, had been a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II, was a member of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, and was past president of many professional, social and civic groups in El Dorado.
Mr. Gilliam was preceded in death by a wife, Patricia Murphy Gilliam; his parents; and a brother, James Mullen Gilliam Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Dorthea Tillery Gilliam; two daughters, Diane Gilliam Murfee of El Dorado and Patricia Gilliam Linder of Bowling Green, Ky.; a brother, Julian Gilliam of Little Rock; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services for Mr. Gilliam will be conducted on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002, at 4 p.m., at St. Mary's Episcopal Church with Rev. Robert Allen and Rev. Charles Chapman officiating the service. The family will be at 2000 North Euclid. Burial will follow under the direction of Young Funeral Directors of Distinction in El Dorado.
The family request memorials be sent to St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 512 Champagnolle, El Dorado, Ar. 71730; or the Rotary International Foundation Scholarship Fund at P.O. Box 786, El Dorado, Ar., 71730.
Alma Mae McGee
Mrs. Alma Mae McGee, age 85, of Holcomb, Mo., died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, at her residence.
Mrs. McGee was born June 24, 1916, in Kennett, Mo., and was the daughter of the late William Clarence Johnson and Berthina Elizabeth McCombs Johnson. She was a homemaker and a member of the New Hope General Baptist Church in Holcomb for 55 years.
Mrs. McGee was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Earnest McGee, in 1984. She is survived by three daughters, Brenda Herrin of Kennett, Mo., Janis Presson of Forrest City and Alfrieda Cagle of Cardwell, Mo.; two sons, Harold McGee of Crestwood, Mo. and James McGee of Gerald, Mo.; 14 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Graveside funeral services for Mrs. McGee will be conducted on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002, at 1 p.m., at Loyd Cemetery in Holcomb with Rev. Dale Rickman officiating the service, under the direction of Landess Funeral Home.
Verla Voss Ragland
Mrs. Vera Voss Ragland, age 80, of Forrest City, died Friday, Feb. 15, 2002, at her home.
Mrs. Ragland was born March 16, 1921, in Forrest City and was the daughter of George S. Voss and Lillie Poe Voss. She made her home in Forrest City all of her life and was a retired librarian from the Forrest City Public Library after 27 years of service. Mrs. Ragland was also an active member of the Cosmos Club, Musical Coterie, Wayside Garden Club and Y.M.W. Club. She was a membr of Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church.
She married Mervyn C. Ragland in 1939 and he preceded her in death in 1991. Mrs. Ragland is survived by two daughters, Karen Ragland Akers of Orange, Texas and Becky Ragland Evans of West Memphis; two sisters, Avus Vaughn of Fayetteville, N.C. and Lavada Savage of Bonn, Germany; one granddaughter and two great-grandsons.
Visitation for Mrs. Ragland will be held Monday, Feb. 18, 2002, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Stevens Funeral Home. Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002, at 10 a.m., at the Graham Memoria Presbyterian Church with Rev. Lisa Anderson officiating the service. Burial will follow in Forrest Park Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
The family request memorials be made to Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Mary Ella Johnson
Mrs. Mary Ella Johnson, age 86, of Turrell, died Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002, at Crittenden Memorial Hospital in West Memphis.
Mrs. Johnson is survived by her husband, Walter Johnson of Turrell; two daughters, Helen Johnson and La Shonda Henry, both of Turrell; two sons, Henry Harris of Turrell and Eugene DeJourne of Decatur, Ga.; six sisters, Elnora Patterson of Memphis, Augusta Chester, Pearlie Davie, Louella Jenkins, Louvenia Barnes and Annie Smith, all of Turrell; one brother, Earnest Smith of Forrest City; one grandchild and five great-grandchildren.
Visitation for Mrs. Johnson will be Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Anthony Funeral Home Chapel South. Funeral services will be conducted on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2002, at 2:30 p.m., at the south chapel with burial to follow in Paradise Garden under the direction of Anthony Funeral Home South.
O.D. Walker, Sr.
Mr. O.D. Walker, Sr. age 81, of Forrest City, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2002, at Baptist Memorial Hospital - Forrest City.
Mr. Walker was born Oct. 27, 1920, in Grapevine, and was one of seven children born to Thomas A. Walker and Ova Lee Wafford. He was the owner and manager of credit bureaus and collection agencies in Arkansas and Mississippi. Mr. Walker served as a member of the Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies, the Forrest City Planning Commission, he had been a Forrest City city councilman, and a former president of the Forrest City Country Club. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church of Forrest City and was veteran of World War II, serving on the U.S.S. Tennessee. Mr. Walker was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
On Jan. 10, 1942, Mr. Walker married Lavada Poss Walker and she survives him along with his son, O.D. Walker, Jr. and his wife, Wanda Walker of Wynne, and their two daughters, Lisa Bone and Pamela Hesse. Mr. Walker is also survived by two daughters, Melva Skelton and her husband Bill Skelton, along with their two daughters, Susanne Skelton and Jessica Skelton, all of Forrest City; and Ramona Hafer and her husband Dwayne Hafer, along with their daughter, Sara of San Antonio, Texas; one sister, Ava Gwin of Sheridan; and two great-grandchildren, Taylor and Emily Bone.
Visitation for Mr. Walker will be Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Stevens Funeral Home. Funeral services for Mr. Walker will be conducted on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2002, at 2 p.m., at Stevens Funeral Home with Rev. James Dean officiating the service. Burial will follow in Forrest Park Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Baptist Church of Forrest City.
